Brussels, 13/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday evening 12 April, the Foreign Affairs Council adopted conclusions in which member states approve further toughening of the sanctions that the EU has put in place against the Gaddafi regime. Foreign ministers also repeat their desire to see the colonel demit office forthwith and call for an “immediate and genuine ceasefire”. Several names were added to the list of those on whom a visa ban has been imposed. Similarly, new Libyan companies and public bodies - particularly in the oil and gas sector - had their names added to the list of bodies the assets and bank accounts of which in Europe have been frozen. The new measures were published in the Official Journal of the EU on Wednesday 13 April and come into effect immediately. Other sanctions could follow with the aim of completely depriving the regime of all funding from exports of oil and gas. The European ministers called on the Libyan regime to end the violence against citizens and to respect human rights. At the same time, they extended a hand to the more moderate members of the Gaddafi regime who are perhaps considering defecting and changing sides. “Those working within the regime face a choice: to continue to associate themselves with the brutal repression of the Libyan people by Colonel Gaddafi or work to support an orderly and Libyan-led transition to democracy through a broad-based dialogue in the interests of the security and prosperity of all the Libyan people”, state the conclusions. The informal meeting with a representative of the National Transition Council in Luxembourg on Tuesday (see EUROPE 10357) is only briefly mentioned in the conclusions: “The Council took note of the interim Transitional National Council's 'Vision of a democratic Libya', which it considered as a contribution to the transition process”. Member states expressed their deep concern at the humanitarian situation in the country and say they stand ready to deploy humanitarian aid operations, with military support if necessary, should the United Nations made such a request (see related article). The EU is also ready to help Libya “in the longer term” and to play a key role in the stabilising the country and building a democratic constitutional state. (H.B./transl.rt)